Back in the day, road bikes were fast and unforgiving, built purely for speed and smooth tarmac. Gravel, on the other hand, was the Wild West: chunky tires, mud-splattered faces and a thirst for adventure. Somewhere in between, Allroad was born – the comfortable bridge for those wanting to keep riding beyond the edge of the asphalt. Wider tires, more relaxed geometry, better day-to-day usability – a balancing act between road speed and hardpack comfort.
But the game has changed. Many modern road bikes can now take 35 mm tires without breaking a sweat, and aero gravel bikes with aggressive race geometry are tearing it up on both asphalt and gravel. So where does that leave Allroad? Is the category outdated – or is it more relevant now than ever before?
To find out, we tested three bikes that couldn’t be more different: the featherweight SCOTT Addict RC Ultimate, a pure climber with surprising tire clearance, the ROSE Backroad FF, an uncompromising aero gravel racer, and the Cannondale Synapse LAB71, a modern endurance bike with a fresh take on Allroad. Three approaches, one goal: uncovering the truth about what Allroad means today. Welcome to the reality check.
Allroad = Endurance?
These days, talk about Allroad and you’ll quickly end up in Endurance bike territory – but that’s often misleading. At first glance, the two terms seem almost interchangeable: comfortable, built for long distances, with a touch more tire clearance and maybe a few mounts for mudguards or bags. Sounds basically the same, right? But the real difference isn’t in the numbers – it’s in the mindset.
Endurance bikes are the traditional long-distance machines of the road, designed to clock up miles while keeping you comfortable. High stack, moderate reach, clearance for up to 35 mm tires – ideal for alpine passes, daily commutes or anyone without superhuman levels of flexibility. Allroad bikes, on the other hand, challenge the whole system. Why stick to the tarmac when the path beside it looks far more interesting? They’re not just “more relaxed race bikes” – they’re a quiet rebellion against the limited route choices offered by traditional road bikes.
Built for freedom, for curiosity, for those spontaneous moments when you don’t turn back just because the asphalt runs out. Modern Allroad bikes are looking in every direction now – gravel, bikepacking, everyday riding. They’re not trying to be “less aggressive” – they’re trying to do more.
And this is where the big misunderstanding begins. The marketing machine often lumps Allroad and Endurance together, as if they were two names for the same concept. But that’s missing the point. Endurance is a category: clearly defined, with set boundaries and a straightforward goal – comfort and control over long distances. Allroad, on the other hand, is more of an idea; a mindset. Sometimes it’s a race frame with wide tires. Sometimes it’s a gravel bike with slicks. Or take the Cannondale Synapse – it’s marketed as an Endurance bike, but with integrated lights, radar, in-frame storage and 42 mm tire clearance, it’s already deep in Allroad territory. Allroad doesn’t automatically mean comfort. It means freedom. It means keeping your options open,d refusing to be boxed in by labels.
What Counts as Allroad? A Closer Look at the Three Bikes on Test
Allroad began as a diplomatic solution for riders moving between asphalt and adventure. Today, the lines between road and gravel are blurring, the peace treaty is cracking, and traditional categories are starting to dissolve. The idea of having one bike for everything is more alive than ever – but the label that once represented it is in danger of losing its meaning. While Allroad is enjoying a comeback as a concept, the Allroad category itself is under more pressure than ever before.
Three very different bikes, each with its own philosophy, all chasing the same goal in our test: exploring the limits between road and gravel. To keep things fair, we didn’t just ride them with their stock tires – we gave each bike an Allroad makeover. Fitted with 35 mm Michelin Power Cup TLR Endurance tires, they were brought onto a level footing to reveal their true character. In the end, it all comes down to one question: does Allroad still have a place of its own, or is every bike an Allroad bike these days?
SCOTT Addict RC Ultimate
Fully race-focused and weighing in at just six kilos, the SCOTT Addict RC Ultimate is, at heart, a purebred climber – and the only bike in our test running a classic 2x drivetrain. But with modern tire clearance up to 34 mm, playful handling and a surprising level of compliance, it raises the question: is this featherweight race bike harbouring Allroad ambitions? Or is it simply an incredibly versatile road bike on a high-altitude mission? In our test, the SCOTT was pushed to its limits, rolling on 35 mm tires that squeezed into the frame with little space to spare.
On asphalt, it’s a weapon – explosive when accelerating, direct in its handling, and precise across the board. But as soon as the terrain gets rougher, its steep race geometry reveals its limits: the bike remains rideable but becomes nervous, constantly shifting, always on edge. A road bike that can surprisingly handle a lot of all-road riding – but only as long as you don’t take the road away from it entirely.
ROSE Backroad FF
The winner of our Gravel Race Bike Test, the ROSE Backroad FF, sits at the opposite end of the spectrum to the SCOTT. Aero, stiff, and built for speed, the Backroad FF is a gravel bike born for the rough stuff – but it clearly hast its sights set on tarmac too. With a no-compromise race geometry, clearance for up to 45 mm tires and a clear mission – whoever brakes, loses – it’s all about going fast. Comfort? You’ll have to look elsewhere. This bike is all about propulsion. But with such a relentless focus on speed, is it already straying too far from the Allroad idea?
With our Allroad setup running 35 mm slicks, it feels almost like an aero road bike – direct and ruthlessly efficient. But its geometry and generous 45 mm tire clearance give away its gravel roots. It stays composed at speed, feels a little sluggish through tight corners, and always leans towards control. Off-road, it inspires confidence; on tarmac, it’s itching to attack. Comfort? Not on the menu. The Backroad FF wants speed, not compromises. It’s a clear sign of just how close gravel racers and road bikes have become.
Cannondale Synapse LAB71 SmartSense
Smart meets smooth: the Synapse LAB71 is Cannondale’s answer to the Allroad question, featuring an integrated lighting system, a premium LAB71 frame and generous tire clearance up to 42 mm. It’s an endurance bike built not just for long days in the saddle, but also to light up the darker sides of everyday commuting. The real question is: how much Allroad is there in this Synapse?
As a bridge-builder, the Synapse LAB71 fits the original Allroad brief most closely. Officially marketed as an endurance model, it brings together everything Allroad once stood for: comfort, everyday practicality and a relaxed ride. It shifts with a 1×13 SRAM RED XPLR groupset. This setup with its simplicity, durability and wide gear range – just happens to fit the Allroad concept perfectly. This is a bike that doesn’t try to do everything – it simply focuses on getting the important things right: relaxed on tarmac, confident and composed when the going gets rough.
So is Allroad Just a Matter of Compliance?
Comfort is every brand’s favourite talking point, and it’s often the weakest. Whether a bike is truly “comfortable” doesn’t show itself in the test lab, but after five hours in the saddle. Flexing seatposts, compliant stays, damping cockpits – they’re all nice to have. But real Allroad comfort goes beyond just filtering out vibrations, because comfort is relative. The SCOTT Addict RC Ultimate feels smooth over flawless tarmac, but it can feel brutally harsh on loose terrain. The ROSE Backroad FF, on the other hand, offers plenty of stability and control thanks to its gravel DNA – but very little flex, which can become tiring over longer distances.
Meanwhile, the Synapse is a great showcase of compliance in a modern endurance machine: enough flex and comfort from the frame, tires and wheels, without dulling the ride feel. Race bikes and Allroad bikes demand completely different levels of compliance. One needs precision and sharp feedback, the other requires a buffer for rough terrain – without feeling sluggish. Allroad is all about balance: enough damping to go the distance, but with just as much directness to keep things fun. Too much comfort robs a bike of its character, while too little turns every rough road into a test of patience. And still – comfort alone doesn’t make an Allroad bike.
So Is Allroad Just a Matter of Tire Width?
No room for wide tires: no Allroad – that much is clear. 35, 38, maybe even 42 mm. More volume means more grip, traction and comfort – and with that, more freedom when choosing your route. But if you think a wider tire alone will transform the ride, you’re in for a disappointment. Tire clearance gives you options, but it doesn’t define a concept. A road race bike with 35 mm slicks is still, by design, a race bike – the steep front end, short wheelbase and high bottom bracket all push towards road performance.
Where do the use cases overlap? The boundaries are fluid. Classic road race bikes these days typically run between 28 and 32 mm – wide enough to handle rough tarmac comfortably, without compromising on efficiency or agility. Between 33 and 38 mm, you hit the Allroad sweet spot: tires that roll fast on the road, but offer enough volume to glide over hardpack gravel and patchy asphalt. From 40 mm upwards, we’re clearly in gravel territory – where traction, puncture resistance and control take priority over outright speed. This grey zone is exactly where the categories start to blur. A road bike with 34 mm tires can now do almost as much as a lightweight gravel racer, while a gravel bike with 35 mm slicks can suddenly start to behave like an aero road machine. In our test, it became clear that tire choice influences a bike’s character, but doesn’t completely rewrite it. On the 35 mm Michelin tubeless tires, all three bikes rolled noticeably more smoothly, with a high level of comfort and surprising efficiency. They sacrificed a touch of punchiness, but gained calmness and control – especially on rough tarmac and light gravel.
On the SCOTT Addict RC, for example, the 35 mm tires noticeably improve calmness and confidence, but the geometry remains uncompromising – as soon as the terrain gets rough, you hit the limit. The ROSE Backroad FF, meanwhile, feels much more agile on tarmac with the 35 mm slicks, though it retains the controlled, slightly sluggish character of its gravel platform. The Cannondale Synapse LAB71 benefits the most: with room for 42 mm tires and a flexing rear end, it becomes genuinely versatile – fast on the road, composed on gravel, never twitchy.
True Allroad isn’t just about how much rubber fits in the frame – it’s about what the frame makes of it. Wide tires aren’t a concept, they’re a tool, and how well a bike uses them comes down to the geometry.
So is Allroad Just a Matter of Geometry?
Geometry is the foundation everything stands – or falls – on. These days, the gap between road, Allroad and gravel isn’t a chasm, but a matter of subtle nuance. And it’s those fine details that shape how a bike feels. Half a degree on the head angle, a few extra millimetres in wheelbase – that can be enough to turn nervousness into confidence, or twitchiness into control, if the rest of the package is right. That’s because geometry alone doesn’t make an Allroad bike. The SCOTT Addict RC, for example, is clearly tuned for agility, with its steep 73.4° head angle, short wheelbase and low stack. It responds instantly, climbs explosively and stays razor-sharp on tarmac – but the moment the surface turns loose, the balance tips. The short geometry leaves little room for error, demanding constant attention from the rider.
The ROSE Backroad FF takes the opposite approach. With a slacker 72.5° head angle, long wheelbase and higher stack, it rides calmly, feeling more stable and controlled. But it sacrifices a bit of spontaneity in return – quick direction changes feel less playful. The Cannondale Synapse LAB71 lands right in the middle: with a 71.3° head angle, medium-length wheelbase and a relaxed stack-to-reach ratio, it offers reassuring stability, without feeling too sluggish. The numbers make it clear – Allroad isn’t defined by a specific geometry formula, but by the right balance between stability and agility. The Synapse shows just how much comfort and control you can get from a road-oriented setup, while the SCOTT proves that modern race bikes, thanks to generous tire clearance, can still brush up against Allroad terrain.
What really matters
In the end, it all comes down to the combination: tire clearance, frame material, compliance and components. That’s what creates the ride feel – and helps define where a bike truly belongs. An endurance frame can be Allroad-ready if it offers enough stability and clearance. A race bike can still take you off the tarmac if despite its sharp handling, it still feels composed on rough surfaces. A modern Allroad bike doesn’t need a special formula. What it needs is a ride feel that works anywhere – whether you’re hammering along fresh tarmac at 40 km/h or cruising over gravel with a smile. While Allroad as a concept is making a comeback, the Allroad category is under more pressure than ever. What used to be its own segment is now a mindset. Allroad no longer describes a specific type of bike, but rather a way of thinking about road cycling: open, versatile, limitless.
The Reality Check – What Defines Modern Allroad
Time to address the elephant in the room: what’s left of the original Allroad idea? Perhaps Allroad is no longer a category – not a clearly defined bike type – but a concept that runs through all categories. Because comfort, control and adaptability are no longer exclusive features; they’ve become part of the DNA of today’s performance road bikes. Every good road or gravel bike carries a bit of Allroad in its genes, whether it’s labelled that way or not.
Allroad today isn’t a compromise between road and gravel – it’s the evolution of both. A concept that doesn’t separate asphalt from gravel, but connects the two. A prime example from our test is the Cannondale Synapse LAB71. With its 42 mm tire clearance, SmartSense system and everyday practicality, it represents a new definition of versatility – a road bike that integrates comfort and control as a matter of course, without letting them hold it back.
The SCOTT Addict RC Ultimate shows the other side: a no-compromise race bike that, thanks to generous tire clearance and subtle compliance, remains unexpectedly fun even when the tarmac ends. It proves that even thoroughbred race machines can develop Allroad character, without losing sight of their intended audience. And the ROSE Backroad FF? An aero gravel bike that sharpens the Allroad concept for speed. Fitted with slicks, it turns into an effective tarmac hunter, while staying stable and composed – an example of how gravel bikes are now taking the road by storm.
A modern Allroad bike no longer needs to sit “between” the two worlds – it moves freely across both, no matter the surface. It should be just as much fun on country roads as it is on rough tarmac or light gravel. And that’s where the shift becomes clear: where a road bike reaches its limits with every jolt, and a gravel racer loses efficiency on smooth surfaces, a modern Allroad bike stays composed – not because it sits in the middle, but because it goes beyond.
It’s this balance of agility and composure that makes the concept exciting again. That’s the real appeal of Allroad: you don’t have to choose between one or the other. One setup that’s fast enough for your Sunday ride, tough enough for bikepacking through the Swedish backcountry, and comfortable enough for long days in the saddle. A modern Allroad bike isn’t a compromise – it’s the bike you want to ride every day, because every day it feels like your favourite bike.
Allroad is more alive than ever – it just goes by many names. The idea of having one bike for everything is no longer a dream: it’s reality. Modern gravel race bikes and road bikes with generous tire clearance already embody that versatility in their own way – embracing the spirit of Allroad, whether they call it that or not. With a modern Allroad bike, you can do more than ever before – fast on the road, confident off it, and practical in everyday life.
Conclusion: Do we Still Need the Allroad Label?
Maybe we don’t need the “Allroad” label anymore, because the idea behind it has already made its way into every category. But precisely because versatility is now everywhere, dedicated Allroad bikes are more essential than ever – modern bikes that don’t just flirt with the concept, but fully embrace it. They’re not a compromise, but the essence of what modern road cycling is all about: freedom, simplicity and curiosity. In the end, it’s not about what’s written on the frame – it’s about where the bike takes you. And in the best case, that’s anywhere you like.
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Words: Jan Fock Photos: Peter Walker, Jan Fock